Merchandising displays for eyeglasses and eyeglass frames find many uses in the marketplace for retailing prescription and nonprescription sunglasses, eyeglasses as well as frames. The prior art discloses numerous eyeglass merchandising displays including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,211,331; 3,884,357; 3,858,726, 2,764,286 and 1.492,113. The structure of prior art eyeglass merchandising displays typically requires passing the temple and earpiece portions of the eyeglass frame through apertures in the display as a means of carrying the eyeglass frame on the display. As a result, removal of the eyeglass frame from the display and its later replacement is cumbersome. Because of the difficulty of properly replacing eyeglass frames on the display after consumer examination, eyeglasses are often haphazardly returned to the display. In a short time eyeglasses on the display become in disarray leading to an unattractive merchandising display and requiring continuous maintenance by retail personnel.
Further, because prior art eyeglass displays utilized such display panel apertures, these displays are typically deeper and bulkier to accommodate the earpiece and temple portions of the eyeglass protruding on the backside of the display. As a result, many such prior art displays are not readily adaptable for use as wall mount or countertop displays. Rather, the prior art eyeglass displays are typically limited to use on free-standing kiosk displays.
Further, by utilizing display panel apertures as a means of securing eyeglasses to the display, the eyeglasses must be arranged on the display in vertical columns to prevent eyeglasses from slipping out of the display. The vertical arrangement of eyeglass frames on the display limits the various styles and sizes of eyeglasses which can be carried on the display unless the overall dimensions of the display are greatly increased.
While U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,700 suggests the use of L-shaped support tabs integrally formed with a display panel for displaying eyeglass lenses, no reference has been discovered to adapt this broad concept for use in displaying eyeglasses and eyeglass frames.
Hence, prior to the development of the present invention, a need existed for an attractive eyeglass merchandising display which eliminates the use of display panel apertures and yet allows consumers to easily remove and neatly replace eyeglass frames on the display. Such a display would enhance the merchandising of the eyeglasses and require less display maintenance than prior art displays.
A further need existed for an eyeglass merchandising display which would allow for an angular or skewed arrangement of eyeglass frames on the display to maximize the number of different sizes and styles of eyeglasses carried on the display while minimizing the overall dimensions of the display itself.
Finally, a need existed for an eyeglass display having all of the above properties, yet being readily adaptable for countertop and wall mount use as well as in free-standing displays.